Green02civic

Good Afternoon,
Long time Civic owner, first time post. I have read the FAQ's, but I am still stumped by this. Normally, I am pretty mechanically inclined. I am familiar with this car, as I have owned it since 2003. Here is my issue...


Car was running a little sluggish, so I decided to change the fuel filter, for the first time in 200K. got the filter in, and the car wouldn't start. Realized that I had an O ring that got a little crooked on me. Fixed it, and all is good. I can hear the relay click when I turn the key on, and I can hear the fuel pump kick on. I have good pressure at the fuel rail...


I have had a check engine light on. I ran the codes, and came up with only one code. the explanation of bad o2 sensor on the down side of the cat. The sensor is new, but I have a feeling that the donut down there has a leak, which is throwing the code. Along with that explanation, the same code tells me I have other possibilities such as bad fuel pressure, faulty fuel injectors, and a leak at the intake.


This car ran fine 3 days ago. Gets 35 mpg, and is well maintained.




After I changed the filter, I jumped in the car, and it started. I brought the rpm up to 3K for the idle relearn. before the fans could kick on, the car just shut off. Not a stumble and die, but almost like I turned off the key. I started the car again, thinking that maybe there was a little air in the line. Same thing. Runs at 3K for a little bit, maybe 30 seconds, and dies. Runs at idle and dies. Like I turned it off, not like a stumble from running out of gas. After the car dies, it will immediately start again. It does not hesitate, so I know that I have fuel there, and spark.


Since I had a possibility of a bad pressure regulator, I changed it. I also took apart the fuel rail, cleaned it, and changed the o rings on the injectors. I cant keep the car running long enough to test the injectors...


No dice.


Civic runs, and dies.


Any suggestions? One other thing I forgot to mention...When I pulled the blue relay, the cover came off in my hand. I put it back on, and I was able to pull the whole unit out...


I also can hear a clicking noise under the hood that corresponds with the clicking noise of the fuel pump relay. Don't know what that is...




Also new on this car, within the past 10K miles are the timing belt, the cam sensor, the crank sensor, the alternator.


I really appreciate all your help! Really frustrated with this. this is our only car!

emich

It looks like an electric problem.
I would wire the fuel pump directly to the battery and see if this will change the situation.

ezone

Make sure you got the alternator bolts properly tightened

Green02civic

thanks for the suggestions. I will take a look at both in the morning, and report back here with my findings...

Green02civic

Well, this was another all day fiasco, but I got the civic running...finally.

In the end, it was a crank sensor...I think.

For the longest time, I only got one code, having to do with the 02 sensor. I still have that, but I removed the alternator bolts cleaned them really good, cleaned all contacts, and made sure that I had full time power to the pump, still had the same issue. I had the civic running long enough, that I could check the injectors, and they were all clicking. So I decided that the injectors needed a good scrub. Took the fuel rail apart, and this time sprayed the injectors like crazy with TB cleaner. Reassembled, and tried to start the civic. It ran like crap. I thought that it was the TB cleaner burning off. But the civic ran really rough. very unsteady Idle, very uncharacteristic. Threw the scanner back on it, and I had a code for a bad crank sensor or timing.

Honestly, the way it was running, I thought it had jumped time. found TDC, and tore the front of the motor apart. Timing was perfect.

Changed the crank sensor, and the camshaft sensor. Actually put the old ones in, since I replaced them for the hell of it when I did the timing belt a few months back.

Put everything back together, and the civic purrs like a kitten.

In the end, I am fairly certain that this crank sensor was bad, but it took a long time to finally throw a code.

So for anyone else who has similar problems in the future, think back about your aftermarket sensors. Even new ones, can be bad and cause a lot of headache.

bsmiley

Glad to hear you got it solved! Thanks for letting us know.

emich

What brand was the bad crank sensor from where did you purchase it?

bsmiley

I was wondering too, but I figured I shouldn't ask. There is an optimistic guy trolling who chugs redbull and hi-test coffee. He loves bosch sensors & is one with the knowledge of all automotive topics. If he sees someone post an issue that might be linked to a bosch sensor, he might knock off a case of rebull and start typing. Always a good time.
I did my camshaft position sensor back in Feb and I used the Honda sensor. If the crank sensor fails, I'll go with the Honda sensor.

ezone

You owe me a keyboard.

Green02civic

Not a bosch sensor, although my 02 sensors are bosch, and I feel like I don't get much life out of them. I'm always changing those stupid things...

I got the sensor off ebay, and it was from Parts buddy. I paid like 10 bucks for it. The info is here:

ebay number: 291222194801

I have not contacted them about a refund. for 10 bucks I am not going through the hassle of sending it back, though I have thought about calling and giving them a piece of my mind. Good thing I was not paying a shop 75 bucks per hour to figure this out. I would have sent parts buddy the bill.

Cheap sensor caused me a lot of headache.

Some things you just shouldn't skimp on....

ezone

That's a hard lesson to learn.

Green02civic

Very True. You know, I try to live by the old saying "i'm too poor to buy cheap tools." Sometimes, my pocket book dictates that I throw caution to the wind, but there is a lot of wisdom in that old saying.

Another on is- Cheap isn't fast, and fast isn't cheap.

In this case, cheap was really slow...and aggravating.

emich

Aitozone sells the sensors OME cheap They are made by Mitsubishi.

ezone

"The cheapest people often spend the most."

Sometimes cheap fulfills the purpose for which it was purchased...sometimes it does not.



"Some can't afford to do it right, I can't afford to do it wrong."


"I fixed it wrong because I know you can't afford to fix it right."
You mean O.E.M. brand?

It's a damn shady way to capitalize on a well known acronym, and IMO the quality is pretty craptacular.

I understand it's a division of Stranded Motor Products.....

A quote from another forum: In reality they are just another importer of white box Chinese parts slapping a name on stuff and competing for the low price parts market.

Google: original engine management parts review